Brightest Hour
by Dahlia J Black
Summary: Enthusiastic college boys & bandmates, Jake & Emmett, think they're going to Cancun for Spring Break, but when their car lets them down and Hot Samaritan Bella helps them out, they realize fate may have other plans for them. Smutty collab w/Chele681
1. Brightest Hour

**A/N: **This story was originally written as a collaboration between me and **Chele681** in an attempt to cheer our awesomest of WIN friends, **Sweet Dulcinea,** up when she was having a sad. It consequently mutated into this lengthy (to say the least) story, which we decided to enter in the United Colors of Twilight contest.

Allow me a moment to get mushy:

**Teal: **I love you and you are the winningest of WIN liefies in my life. I don't know what I would do without you to snuggle me on such a consistent basis.

**Chele: **Writing this with you was like a wild, covert love affair and I'd do it again in a heartbeat (accidental peen licking included).

Thank you to **Sweet Dulcinea** for agreeing to ironically beta her own gift, and to **juliebutterfly** for pre-reading.

**Disclaimer:**** All recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The perverted inspiration behind this story, on the other hand…

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**Brightest Hour

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Sitting in the back of a cramped, overheated and frankly smelly bus made me wonder what had possessed me and Emmett to go to Mexico for Spring break. I guess the fact that it was a glamorous place like Cancún made people forget that it was still in Mexico. And when you were a student-slash-struggling-artist on a non-existent budget whose car finally went noisily into the afterlife on a forgotten dirt road just beyond the border, the trip most definitely wasn't turning out to be as glamorous as the destination.

Emmett's meaty shoulder was wedged behind mine and I could swear there were actually flies buzzing around us in the moving vehicle. It seemed we were a living, breathing stereotype. After my beloved Rabbit had sputtered its last dying breath not too long ago, we had stood at the side of the dusty road, wondering who would take pity on two very large college boys and their bulky band equipment.

_"Dude, this was one seriously fucked up idea on your part." Emmett was leaning against the Rabbit with crossed arms and an I-told-you-so look on his face._

_"On _my _part?" I demanded. "Are you _shitting _me? _Let's go to Cancún_," I mimicked in his dumb jock tone of voice, "_Mexico is just around the corner._"_

_"No one said we had to drive down in your rust bucket," Emmett shot back sulkily._

_My mouth fell open in disgust as I tried to compose myself. "This _rust bucket_ has been carting your sorry ass around since tenth grade, so I think you better shut the fuck up before I make you apologize to Thumper."_

_"I can understand why your car died. It was of the embarrassment of being called _fucking Thumper_ all the time!" Emmett threw his hands in the air dramatically._

_We stood glaring at each other for a minute, fists balled at our sides, trying to calm our respective inflamed tempers._

_Even though Emmett and I had been best friends since the first day of freshman football practice in high school, we were still dudes, and we were instinctively sizing each other up for a fight. We were pretty evenly matched. Emmett was meaty and strong, almost double my width (well, probably not, but you catch my drift), but I towered over him by a solid couple of inches and I had had him in enough headlocks in the past for him to know that I could easily take him if I had the motivation. And Emmett knew, he didn't talk smack about Thumper. Ever._

_We were amidst our silent staring match when we heard a strange honking sound emanating from a cloud of dust, which was fast approaching us. As the dust cloud came closer, we realized it was a rickety, off-white bus, filled to the brim with people and piled to the heavens with all manner of strange pieces of luggage. I kind of expected to see a cage filled with chickens as well, but sadly, the cage was empty._

_"Necesita un paseo?" the plump, mustached bus driver asked, leaning leisurely out of the window._

_We both stared at him, dumfounded, and I silently wished that I'd paid more attention in Spanish class in high school._

_He rolled his eyes at us and reiterated in English, enunciating every syllable, "Do you need a ride?"_

_"Please!" the two of us exclaimed in unison._

_"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you got any money?" He gestured for us to calm down._

_"Some?" I offered hesitantly._

_"No free rides," he stated firmly. "Ten dollars each to the nearest town and extra for the luggage."_

_I mentally calculated the total of the crumpled bills in the pockets of my faded cargo shorts and the stash I had in the false bottom of my guitar case and figured it would be enough for our travel and staying over for a few nights. I hoped to heaven and hell that Emmett's dad would bail us out of this shitty situation if worst came to worst. He hadn't failed us in the past, but I knew that everyone had their limits._

_I nodded in acceptance of his terms and he motioned to us to get our stuff. Emmett and I grabbed our backpacks and instruments out of the back of Thumper and headed toward the bus. The driver stopped us when we attempted to climb on board. He pointed to our bulky instruments and then to the roof rack. Emmett and I looked at each other in silent horror, but we knew that we didn't have much of a choice but to oblige the driver's request._

_After tucking my guitar case and Emmett's single snare drum precariously beneath an unsatisfyingly thin rope, we climbed aboard and squashed ourselves into a seat in the middle of the bus._

_"I'm Paulo, by the way," the driver called over his shoulder. "Where are you two headed?"_

_"__Cancún__," we replied simultaneously, again. This was quickly becoming a new and unsettling pattern._

_The whole bus erupted into a fit of laughter and Emmett and I looked to each other in confusion. Sure, Cancún was a cliché, but it certainly wasn't this laughable._

_"What?" Emmett demanded eventually when the cackling of the crowd still wasn't dying down._

_"My dear friends," Paulo said, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes, "you're barely beyond the Tijuana border. Cancun is another two thousand miles from here."_

_I could feel the blush of anger and embarrassment rushing to my cheeks. "Two thousand miles?" I seethed at Emmett. "TWO THOUSAND MILES? Did you know this?"_

_"Jake, man, you took Geography with me. You know I sucked donkey balls at it." Emmett's sheepish shrug only fueled my fury because it made me realize that I should never have trusted him with anything as important as navigation. Remembering to pack beef jerky for the trip down? Sure thing. Researching the legal drinking age in Mexico? No sweat. Choosing a suitable mode of transportation to take us the _thousands _of miles to our destination? Yeah, not so much._

_I took a deep breath to keep myself from saying worse than usual things to my best friend and decided to be the responsible adult like I normally had to be. "How far will you be traveling?" I asked Paulo, ignoring the remnants of snickers floating around the bus._

_"Ensenada," he replied. "It's about another hour away. Nice beaches. Cheap motels."_

_"Well then, Ensenada it is!" I agreed, excluding Emmett from the decision making. He had forfeited all adult privileges after his logistical snafu._

We had sat in silence for a good fifteen minutes thereafter, which was a significant achievement since he was basically sitting in my lap due to the lack of space.

Going to Mexico and playing a couple of gigs during Spring break had all seemed like a fuckawesome idea last Saturday night when we had been on an alcohol induced ego trip, experiencing delusions of greatness for our band _Brightest Hour_, affectionately named after our favorite song by _The Submarines_. Our band was unique in that it consisted of just the two of us. Emmett played drums and I played guitar and sang. It was a challenge sometimes, but we managed to make it work. We had been playing in college bars for the past two years and had built up our own little fan base. We even had groupies. Well, technically it was just _a_ groupie. As in singular. As in Emmett's little sister Alice, who was in love with me and would be bouncing dangerously in front of the stage at every gig we played.

We did it for the love of music, not for the recognition. Or the money. Or the chicks (although the occasional drunken wannabe was an obvious perk).

"Dude, I'm sorry I insulted Thumper. That old girl has been very good to us over the years," Emmett eventually said, snapping me from my contemplation.

"She sure as fuck has," I replied angrily.

"And I'm sorry about the whole Cancún thing. I think I had it confused with someplace else."

"Ya think?"

"Are you going to stay angry at me the entire trip? You know I don't like to admit when I'm wrong."

"And yet you would think you'd have gotten used to it by now, what with being wrong so frequently."

"Fine, if you're gonna be that way I'll just shut up." Emmett folded his arms huffily and attempted to turn away from me, but our squashed state didn't allow for much movement.

We didn't talk for another few minutes, stubbornly staring in opposite directions and pretending that we weren't about to meld into one person if the squashing and the heat persisted.

I took a deep breath in an attempt to work myself up to a dramatic sigh, but stopped on the mid-inhale when the most revolting smell filled my nostrils. I immediately started coughing and gagging. This was _Eau de Emmett_ if I had ever smelled it.

"Fuck, Emmett! That's like wet dog and rotten egg and dead rodents all in one," I choked.

"You _know_ I don't digest spicy food well," he complained.

"Reminding me of this before I let you buy a dozen tacos for breakfast would've been a good idea."

The smell had started to waft through the rest of the bus, and I could hear the sound of people gagging all around us. I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing. Emmett didn't need to be invited twice and doubled over, his booming laugh causing a baby to start crying behind us. Or it may have been the smell. We'll never know.

Two minutes later, we stood at the side of the road, backpacks and instruments in hand, the same cloud of dust from before settling around us.

I had clearly been mistaken when I assumed that Paulo didn't mind foul odors on his bus. He took obvious offence to Emmett-induced odors and kicked us off the bus without any warning of decorum.

Our attempts at hitchhiking were initially unsuccessful. After numerous cars had passed us by, including several obvious Spring breakers who honked in encouragement but didn't slow, I hoisted my guitar case and started walking in the direction we'd seen the bus disappear. I heard Emmett's footsteps clomping along behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to nod in encouragement. The temperature was climbing and I could see he was feeling it too, beads of sweat apparent on his forehead. He was so pale that the sunlight reflected off him, causing me to squint.

I was fairly certain that he'd forgone packing sunscreen or water in order to fit several extra large bags of Peeps in his backpack (which were probably starting to melt in the bajilion degree sun), and felt a bit of worry that we could actually be in trouble start to edge in. I checked my phone for the hundredth time on the off chance that the saguaro cactus we were passing was really a cleverly disguised cell tower, but wasn't surprised when there was still no service.

We had walked for nearly an hour before I heard the sound of tires on gravel and looked up to see pale blue Volkswagen bus pulling over onto the shoulder in front of us. It looked like Thumper's hot older cousin. We ran up to the passenger window to greet the driver of the beautiful example of classic moto-engineering, but our words died on our lips when we found ourselves in the utterly lucky position of beholding the most spectacularly gorgeous woman I was sure either of us had ever seen. Even with her heart-shaped face partially obscured behind large, vintage-looking sunglasses, she was breathtaking.

Her skin was the color of liquid caramel that seemed to almost sparkle delicately in the sunlight. Her lips were plump and luscious and pulled up at the corners, giving her an inexplicable air of mystery. Her chocolate brown curls cascaded down her shoulders and lightly brushed over the swell of her ample breasts, which were displayed to perfection in a white cotton eyelet dress. She was sweet and seductive at the same time. Various parts of my anatomy were warring with one another for the correct reaction to this unbelievable vision of a woman, who also appeared to be an angel since she was taking pity on two down and out college boys in the middle of the ass-crack-of-nowhere, Mexico.

"Jake, did we die in the desert, or is there a totally hot chick driving the Mystery Machine offering us a ride?" Emmett muttered to me eventually.

"The Mystery Machine was a Chevy." I mumbled in response, trying to be inconspicuous while smiling like a fool. "While your Scooby Doo lore is total fail, there is indeed a beautiful woman driving this classic piece of German engineering who may have just saved our asses."

"It's like mutant Thumper is looking down on us."

I wanted to roll my eyes at Emmett's awed whisper, but I realized that our Hot Samaritan was probably starting to suspect that she had happened upon a pair of deaf mutes.

"Where are you boys headed?" she asked, and I nearly jizzed in my pants at the sound of her voice. It was like someone had taken Penelope Cruz's vocal chords, dipped them in chocolate and transplanted them directly into the vision before us.

Emmett seemed to have lost the capability of speech. The only sounds that escaped his lips were a couple of squeaks followed by a gurgle.

"Uh, Ensenada?" I managed to croak out, fidgeting with the belt loop of my shorts like the pre-pubescent pervy boy I actually still was on the inside.

"Lady Luck is smiling down on you today," she smiled and unlocked the door for us to get in. "You can throw your stuff in the back, but you'll both have to sit in the front, I'm afraid."

The passenger seat of the Volkswagen was far more spacious than that of our previous ride, so neither Emmett nor I were going to complain. We stowed our backpacks and instruments on top of the dozens of bags of fruit and groceries in the back of the van and had a slight scuffle before I slid in next to the Hot Samaritan with a yet-again sulking Emmett next to me.

"I'm Isabel, but feel free to call me Bella," she said, extending a friendly hand to me. As she leaned over me to shake Emmett's hand, her spicy and sweet vanilla musk wafted over me and her breast brushed against my arm. Emmett and I proceeded to introduce ourselves, and I suddenly wished that I still had my backpack so I could disguise my very obvious involuntary reaction. My dick hadn't been this disobedient since I had been in the eleventh grade and Jessica Skanky-Stanley had grinded her ass into my junk at Embry and Jared's joint birthday house party.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, hoping she wouldn't notice, and _really_ hoping Emmett wouldn't notice, because he'd probably end up incorporating the story into my eulogy one day.

"What brings you this side of the border?" she asked, starting the van and pulling back onto the road.

"We're down from college for Spring break," Emmett began before I could compose myself enough to speak. "We were hoping to play a few gigs while we're here."

"Ah, that explains the instruments. It's just the two of you in the band?" Her interest seemed genuine, although she still managed to come across as detached and aloof. This girl was a mystery. The biggest mystery laid in the question of whether she was a girl or, in fact, a woman. So far, I wasn't able to tell.

"_Brightest Hour_ doesn't need anyone else to be awesome," Emmett boasted proudly.

Bella's melodic chuckle rang like the tinkling of tiny bells in my ears... and apparently my dick. This was getting ridiculous. It felt blasphemous to be lusting so openly over such a vision of perfection and purity.

"You know, your run of luck may be continuing." Bella turned her head briefly to smile at us once more. "I have a friend who owns a bar in town. I'm sure she'd be happy to let you play there."

"Wow, that's awesome!" I didn't know how Emmett managed to fit his enthusiastic fist pump into the already cramped space.

"Thanks, Bella, that would be great," I underlined Emmett's sentiment.

"Where in Ensenada are you staying?"

"Yeah, well, that's another problem," I replied. "We were actually planning on going... uh, somewhere else," I covered, too embarrassed to tell her where we had actually intended to go initially, "but my car broke down, so we still need to find somewhere to stay over when we get there."

"Three for three, una día suerte!" Bella said with an impressed shake of her head. "I run an inn near the beach. You're staying there, no excuses."

"This is all too good to be true," Emmett said, leaning his head back against the seat with a contented smile.

"You're not just saying all of this so you can take us into the woods and chop us up into little pieces, are you?" I asked, only half-jokingly.

"I guess you'll just have to trust me," she replied with a sly smile.

I chuckled nervously. This girl was something else.

We made random small talk for the remaining twenty minute trip. We told Bella about our band and that we were both studying at U-Dub. I was majoring in architecture and Emmett was majoring in geology. Bella had grown up in Ensenada and taken over the family business after her parents had passed away. As our conversation continued, I attempted to ask questions that would help me figure out her age, but to no avail. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn that she was being evasive.

We arrived at Bella's quaint little inn and I took a moment to admire the abundance of plants in ornate terracotta pots out front and the authentic looking arched front of the two-story building. There was a mosaic sign which read _Villa del Cisne_ on the wall next to the front reception.

"Cisne?" I asked as we helped Bella unload the bags from the back of the van.

"It means 'swan'," she replied over her shoulder and marched to the reception desk. "It's my last name."

I nodded in acknowledgement, thinking how apt it was for her.

"Ángela," Bella said to the shy-looking girl behind the reception desk, "this is Jake and Emmett. They're going to be staying here for a few nights. Could you please prepare one of the twin rooms for them?" Bella looked toward us for approval and we nodded vigorously. I was relieved that she hadn't mistaken us for a couple, although we did tend to bicker like we had been married for years.

Bella led us through to the kitchen to unload the groceries, where she introduced us to Carmen and Eleazar, who ran the pristine kitchen and small restaurant for the inn. Everyone seemed relaxed and friendly, and I was relieved that all Bella's offers were panning out so far.

After a few trips back and forth between the van and the kitchen, Bella instructed Ángela to show us to our room so we could get cleaned up after our travels. The second-floor room was modest but comfortable and, as I stood in the shower peeking through the small opening in the window, I realized I could see a sliver of blue sea in the distance. I was surprised to find that we were this near to the beach.

After both of us had gotten the chance to take a much needed shower (which had taken a fair bit of time, considering the day we'd had), we ventured downstairs to find that Carmen had laid out a small table for the two of us. We enjoyed a delicious late lunch of tamales and salad, after which Bella joined us to let us know that her friend had agreed to have us play at her bar the following night. All too quickly, she excused herself to attend to business, mentioning an issue with the vineyard.

With no obligations for the moment, Emmett and I decided to explore the grounds a bit and followed signs marked _la piscina_ down a path that led us to a small pool which was high enough up on the hill for us to see out on to the beach.

We wasted no time diving into the pool and spent a few minutes splashing and goofing around. Eventually, we settled into just floating around in the on the smooth surface and watching over the edge of the trees as the sun sank lower into the horizon. The ocean was a vibrant shade of blue you just didn't see in the Pacific Northwest.

"Dude, how did we luck out like this?" Emmett mused, lying back with his eyes closed.

"Yeah, it was really touch and go there for a while," I chuckled.

"And Bella... man... have you ever seen a girl that hot?"

"Not by a mile..."

We drifted along in silence for a while before I finally voiced some of my internal questions, "How old do you think she is?"

"I can't really tell," he answered after a while of frowning in concentration. "Definitely older than us."

"But how much older?"

I had thought that it would have become more apparent when we saw Bella without her oversized sunglasses on, but other than finding out that her twinkling brown eyes and thick lashes made her even gorgeous than I had thought initially, they hadn't given anything away.

"Does it really matter?" Emmett interjected my thoughts. "Hot is hot."

We spent another half an hour at the pool, talking about random things and planning out our set list for the gig. We liked to have a balance between our original music and covers of songs we loved with our own twist added to it. We decided that the first half of our set would be more energetic with a rock vibe, while the second half would be mellow and acoustic.

Bella had invited us to dinner that evening, and I was pumped about getting to spend more time with her until we came downstairs to the dining room and found the table set for six. Although everyone attempted to make us feel welcome, asking us questions about our trip and the band, eventually they would lapse into Spanish, presumably discussing business and leaving me feeling a little lost. Bella had seated Emmett and me on either side of her, and each time my knee brushed hers, my ever-present erection throbbed painfully. This happened with enough frequency that I started to wonder if she was doing it on purpose.

Bella and her friends were amazing hosts. The food was delicious, and the wine flowed freely. Not a comment was made when Emmett went back for a third helping. If anything, they seemed pleased at his typically massive level of consumption.

I did my best to keep up with the energy at the table, but I was having a hard time keeping my attention from drifting to Bella. She must have noticed that I was feeling off because she leaned over, placing her delicate hand on my arm and whispered in my ear, "Is everything okay? Would you like some more wine?"

Her proximity and the heat of her breath on my ear nearly pushed me over the edge. I struggled to keep my voice steady when I acknowledged her. I managed to croak out a reply, "Thank you, I'm good," although I clearly wasn't.

Between the wine and her scent, I was completely inebriated.

Emmett chose that moment to exhaust his Spanish vocabulary in the form of the dirtiest joke he knew. This caused the table to erupt in laugher, whether at the content or the pronunciation, I wasn't sure. Either way, it distracted Bella enough to ease the tension that had been strung between us, and I was able to get a hold of myself and keep from losing it in my pants.

When I felt I had my shit under control enough to walk from the table without exposing my situation, I excused myself, claiming exhaustion from the day.

Emmett, thankfully, backed me up, "Yeah man, between the ironman triathlon in the desert and the afternoon in the pool, I'm pretty beat too." Then that smooth fucker turned to Bella and brought her hand to his lips. "Thanks for everything."

She smiled up at him and said, "No problem," and then turned to me. "It's my pleasure."

And then she fucking winked.

Suddenly, I had some more energy I was going to need to work off.

You'd really have thought that my vigorous self-love session from the previous night would've assisted in alleviating my "situation", but when I woke to the sound of Emmett's snickering I immediately knew without looking that I was making a little sheet-tent, thus perpetuating my regression into puberty.

"Don't you say a fucking word," I groaned, throwing my arm over my eyes to shield me from the harsh sunlight that was already streaming in the window.

"It seems you're the one who wants to be saying a _fucking_ word around here."

He burst into a fit of booming laughter and I turned my back to him, shielding my ridiculously painful erection from his view.

"Anyway, bro, I've already taken a shower. I sure as fuck don't wanna be in there after you in your current _condition_."

"Just get the fuck out of here, asshat," I complained, grabbing one of my pillows and chucking it backwards in his general direction.

"Make sure you stretch!" Emmett called as he exited the room.

I buried my head in my pillow and groaned in frustration. My sleep had been restless and interrupted all night. My mind was saturated with Bella: her smell, her body, her tinkling laugh and her seductive voice. She had managed to invade every one of my senses with her presence.

I rolled out of bed and found my dick peeking out of the slit in my boxers. "You're really letting me down here, buddy," I said to it as I walked to the bathroom. "Actually, _could_ you let me down?" I pleaded, pushing it down painfully, needing to pee really badly. It sprang back mockingly and I realized I'd have to _take care of business_ before I could actually take care of any other business.

I hadn't jacked off that enthusiastically in years. Normally, my sexual urges could be taken care of by the occasional wank or a call to one of the few fuck-buddies I had programmed into my phone. This desire was something new and startling altogether. My entire body ached for Bella. I wanted to constantly touch her when she was near to me. Even more than that, I wanted to just _be _with her. I loved the way she told stories. I loved the way she'd react to other people's words without realizing. I could write a song about the way she rolled her r's alone. The delicate nuance in the way she moved and every slight change in her expression were like a special new treasure to be discovered.

After diverting the blood back to more vital organs, I threw on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and some flip-flops and made my way down to breakfast.

I was sad to see that it would only be me and Emm for breakfast this morning. The rest of our hosts' absence could be explained by the arrival of a large family of extremely pale, German tourists in the early morning hours. I was highly impressed to hear Bella speaking to them in their native tongue. The girl had no end to her surprises.

I sat down at the table across from a snickering Emmett, who I assumed was already on his third or fourth helping of breakfast.

"Can it, Muttley," I hissed.

"You better watch out, dude. Tennis elbow is a painful affliction."

I wondered if it was possible to sprain your eyes from too much rolling.

"How are my boys doing this morning?" Bella asked, sauntering over to us in a flowing brown gypsy skirt and deep red tank top that clung as desperately to her curves as I would have liked to.

Emmett confirmed his wellbeing in between bites of omelet as I simply smiled and said, "Great." I really meant it after seeing Bella in the light of the morning, despite my lack of sleep and increasingly painful right arm.

"What do you have planned for the day?" she asked lightly.

"We haven't really spoken about it. We should probably practice for our gig tonight, but maybe you could recommend something for this morning?" I replied, silently hoping she would take us (and by us I meant me) on a guided tour of her bedroom.

"There's always the beach, although the water is a bit cold at this time of year. Or you could take a walk through the vineyard? Emmett, I'm sure you'll find some interesting rocks out there. When I was a little girl, there used to be these huge boulders all around, but my father broke them up to make way for the new vines."

"That sounds great, thanks. I'll have a look." Emmett smiled at Bella way too brightly for my liking. Damn him and his chick-magnet dimples. I had yet to find a girl that was able to resist them. Emmett was all too well aware of this.

"Do you make your own wine?" I asked, taking the opportunity to interrupt his attempts at mesmerizing her.

"No, but we let one of the nearby wineries harvest from here when it's the right season. You actually tasted the wine last night."

"It was some really good stuff," I said, thinking back to the heady swirl I had gone to bed with.

"I could tell." Bella smiled and winked slyly, just as she had last night.

_What the fuck is that about?_ I thought to myself. I hoped my once again obvious facial and other reactions to her weren't _that_ obvious.

"You boys have fun; I'll catch up with you later." Bella patted me affectionately on the shoulder and disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Dude, seriously, you need to learn to control yourself," Emmett quipped.

I gave up my attempt at breakfast and stood up from the table, silently glaring at Emmett.

"I'm going for a walk in the vineyard. Don't do the same."

I was about to turn to leave when Emmett cleared his throat and pointed his fork at my crotch.

"Fuck," I mumbled, knowing I'd have to take a detour to our room before I could go for my walk.

I made my way back upstairs, at this point resigned to my task. I saw a cart with towels and cleaning supplies in the hall, and noticed the door to the next to ours was open. I figured my special project time was going to be cut short. The thought of being caught in the act was kind of killing my mojo, which I then realized was really what I had been going for in the first place. I was about to head back down the stairs when I heard Bella's voice, followed by an unfamiliar female voice speaking English in an Australian accent. I hadn't realized that the inn employed anyone else.

"You know, Bella, all men aren't like _him,_" the female voice was saying. "Some men are capable of feeling real emotions, and not all of them will leave. It's okay to open yourself up a bit. It's been two years, for goodness sake."

"I know, I know, Char. I've been trying... I just feel myself pulling back every time someone gets too close. It's an instinct I can't seem to shake off."

"What about this new boy? Ángela told me you were eye-fucking him at dinner last night."

My heart started to pound in my ears at the turn the conversation had taken. Were they talking about _me_? Or Emmett? Or was there already someone else in the picture?

"I can hardly imagine Ángela using the term 'eye-fucking'," Bella chuckled. "Isn't he too young, though?" Bella asked hesitantly after a moment's pause. "I feel like I'm making a fool out of myself."

She definitely had to be talking about one of us. I hadn't seen any other young guys wandering around here.

"You make it sound like you're ancient!" the other girl exclaimed in an exasperated tone. "You're eyes haven't sparkled like this in ages. Seriously, Bella, go for it. Even if it's just a bit of fun."

"I don't-" Bella began before being cut off with a click of the other girl's tongue.

"At least consider it. For me," the girl insisted.

"I'll consider it," Bella conceded eventually.

"Great!" the girl exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Wow, I'm even more concerned over your sexual wellbeing than my own."

"Your sexual wellbeing has never been an issue," Bella joked and I heard her voice nearing me.

I started to fumble with the keys to my door hurriedly in an attempt to disguise my blatant eavesdropping.

"Jake." I heard Bella's voice and tried not to jump as if I had been caught.

"Oh, hey Bella." I hoped I wasn't coming across like a total doucenozzle, because I sure felt like it.

"Did you decide not to check out the vineyard after all?"

"I just wanted to... uh... I forgot something in my room," I stumbled lamely.

"Okay, well... I just came up to say hi to Charlotte," she said, gesturing to the cute blonde girl who was grinning behind her.

I realized that this was the first time I had seen Bella without having Emmett and his charms right beside me, so I decided to grab the opportunity to get Bella alone.

"Do you want to give me the executive tour of the vineyard?" I asked impulsively. "If you have time, of course," I added quickly.

Bella hesitated for a moment and glanced almost imperceptibly at Charlotte, who nodded sternly.

_Ohmygod they really were talking about me,_ my inner teenage girl squealed.

"Sure, that's what a good hostess would do, isn't it?" she asked with a slight smile.

"Now that you mention it..." I winked playfully.

Bella punched me in the shoulder before leading me down and out the back to the vineyard. I had expected it to be just a few rows of vines, but it stretched out in front of us for an impressive distance. We strolled in between the narrow aisles, our arms brushing lightly every so often, as Bella told me the history of the vineyard and how some of her great grandfather's wines were still stored in the cellar. She spoke wistfully of the stories her grandfather used to tell about crushing the grapes barefoot when he was still a child. Bella just had a way of sucking me in with her stories and I soon felt myself getting lost in her once again. Luckily, my anatomy managed to behave in a more gentlemanly way this time.

"A few years ago I actually considered trying to make my own wine, but Ed-" she stopped abruptly before she finished the sentence. "Some stuff happened and I decided against it."

I touched Bella's arm gently to keep her from walking any further and nudged her towards me. She was looking down at the ground between us, biting her lip lightly. She suddenly looked like a little girl, and I had to fight the urge to pull her to me. Instead, I settled for brushing her hair lightly from her cheek.

"Who hurt you like this?" I whispered, examining her face in a futile attempt to find the answers I was looking for.

She looked up at me from beneath her lashes, moisture sparkling dangerously in her eyes. My heart panged at the thought that someone who had left her years ago could've scarred her this much.

I was done with fighting urges and drew her to me, relishing the way her soft curves melded against my body. She didn't resist, merely relented, slumping into me slightly. I kissed the top of her sweet and spicy smelling hair and inhaled a little too deeply, wondering if it was creepy to be smelling her, but not really caring either way.

I was gathering up courage, imagining what would happen if I pulled her away from me and tilted her chin up so her lips would be mere inches from mine. This turned out to be inadvisable since my most enthusiastic body part of late insisted on making a reappearance. I groaned inwardly, inching away slightly in hopes of being discreet.

"Jake!" I had never been so relieved to hear Emmett's nearing voice. "Jake, dude! I can see you, you freakishly tall fucker!" Okay, maybe not entirely relieved.

Bella and I parted abruptly, like we'd been caught. At least the sound of his voice seemed to kill the stirring in my pants before it could become entirely obvious.

Emmett appeared from between the vines and looked slightly suspicious at seeing me with Bella.

"Find any pretty rocks?" I teased as he neared.

"I wouldn't exactly use the word pretty." _Liar._ He was always going on about how beautiful rocks were to him. He had a display case in his room and every one of those fucking rocks was named after some hot chick. "Fascinating would be a more apt description. Scientifically enlightening."

I strained not to roll my eyes outwardly. He could be such a pretentious douche sometimes. Just wait until we drove into town. I would amaze them all with my knowledge of neoclassical Spanish architecture and its influences on Mexican building design. Yes, I went there.

"Something you haven't encountered before?" Bella inquired.

"There are some interesting pyroclastic formations. I'm not surprised, though. This part of Mexico is rich in volcanic residue from ancient eruptions."

I was eighty percent sure he was talking out his ass.

Bella nodded with interest as he continued to rattle off a bunch of scientific phrases that were sufficiently obscure that you didn't really understand what he was going on about, but vaguely familiar so that you felt like you should.

I was really going to have to up my game. I wondered if I would be able to throw a word like _churrigueresque_ into a sentence without sounding like I was making it up.

"So, Bella," I interrupted when Emmett took the briefest pause from his lecture, "will you be joining us down at the beach later? Since you've been such a good tour guide so far," I added with a wink.

"Unfortunately not," Bella replied with an apologetic smile. "We have quite a few guests who will be checking in later today and I like to be there to greet our new arrivals."

"Of course." I nodded in understanding. "I'm sure Emmett and I will find our way ourselves."

We wandered back to the villa with Bella and got some towels and swimming trunks from our room before heading down to the beach. I slightly regretted suggesting the beach because I had thought Bella would be joining us. Me and Emmett alone at the beach just wasn't my idea of a fun morning. Especially since our silent rivalry had been escalating from the moment we had arrived. We walked to the beach in uncomfortable silence, not really knowing what to say, since we both knew what was on the other's mind: Bella.

It wasn't as warm at the beach as I had hoped or would've expected. I guess I was asking for a lot, since it wasn't entirely summer yet. We left our towels in a pile and gave each other a challenging glare. Everything seemed to have become a competition as we raced each other into the surf.

"Holy fuck!" I cried out as the freezing waves collided with my body. "It's fucking freezing!"

Emmett stood chuckling smugly to himself, just out of reach of the icy waves. "The cold could only help your recent _situation_," he mocked.

I did an immediate U-turn and stomped angrily to my towel. I needed to cool down, and not in the literal sense.

After spending some much needed time apart for the rest of the afternoon, Emmett and I sat down to have lunch together. The tension between us seemed to have dissipated a bit and I was feeling less irritated with him. I knew our rivalry was actually all in fun and he wasn't serious about it. I think I didn't take it very well because I _was _actually quite serious about it all. The stirring (both in my pants in and my heart) I felt for Bella was something I hadn't experienced in a long time. If I was being honest with myself, no girl had ever elicited those kinds of reactions in me. I had to try and reign it in, though, because falling for a girl who lived thousands of miles away from me was a dumbass move, even I could admit it.

It also wasn't worth ruining a friendship that was almost a decade old. Despite all our bickering, Emmett and I really were "BFF's". I loved the crazy fucker, even if I didn't always like him as much. His strength and charisma had saved us both more times that I could count, and I couldn't imagine not having him around.

We decided to head to the club in the afternoon to make sure we had enough time to set up our equipment for the show. Bella mentioned, when she saw us at lunch, that she had some business in town and generously offered to drive us in, but was evasive when I invited her to stay while we performed. I really hoped she hadn't caught on to my and Emmett's _vibe_ this morning and decided to rather stay clear of us.

Although there was plenty of space in her now-empty van, Emmett and I jostled for position in the front seat. Three rounds of rock, paper, scissors later, I was wedged against the door while Emmett sat in the middle with his arm around Bella having declared there just wasn't enough room for his shoulders any other way. Clearly Emmett hadn't called the same kind of mental truce that I had. Bella looked perfectly content with his arm around her. I had no right to be jealous, but that didn't stop me.

The drive from the relative peace of the inn to the frenzy of downtown Ensenada was a shock to the system. Its culture was so vibrant, it was almost blinding and made Seattle seem like a bland grey hipster haven in comparison. The architecture was a study of time and influence with everyone from Frank Lloyd Wright to the _Three Little Pigs _represented. I swear I saw a house made out of straw. I thought briefly that there was a lot to be learned from the myriad design stylings, and perhaps more from the people here and was startled to realize that I was finding reasons to anchor myself in this place.

_La Cantina de la Rosa_ was located on the outskirts of the city's recently renovated tourist district. Bella introduced us to the manager on duty, Felix, and then headed off to take care of her errands.

"I'll pick you up after the show?" she asked, and then threw over her shoulder on her way out the door, "Unless, of course, some pretty girl offers to take you home with her."

"I dare any one of them to try and hold a candle to you," Emmett shot back with a wink and a flash of those cursed dimples.

I stuck my disappointment that she wasn't going to stay to hear us play in my back pocket and got into the professional mode of setting up our equipment. The bar had its own set of drums, which meant that Emmett could be his normal frantic self, instead of being confined to just his portable snare drum. The bar filled up quickly, and although I had expected a crowd of American college students on Spring break, the patronage was decidedly local, and they brought with them the vibrant energy of the city. Several people eyed us dubiously, perhaps waiting for the other musicians to come on stage.

Just before we were set to start, Emmett and I shared a nervous glance. We dove into playing like we had nothing to lose, aside from our dignity, which was already questionable. It didn't take long before I could feel the energy coming back to us from the crowd, and I knew we'd won them over. I wondered if they understood the words, or if the rhythm and melody were enough to transcend the language barrier. They erupted enthusiastically after our first song, and their passion was all we needed to fuel us. It was moments like these, on stage, where my friendship with Emmett turned into something more. We'd been friends and played together for so long our ability to read one another was an unconscious act.

By the time we moved to the acoustic portion of the set, we were flying. Having won over this crowd was a validation, and I felt triumphant in the music. As the pace slowed, I was able to look around the cantina, which was now quite full, and that's when I saw her standing by the bar watching us intensely. I knew we had to wrap it up because once I saw Bella, there was no reasoning with my dick and public embarrassment was imminent. She seemed lost in the music, and I was mesmerized by the swing of her hips and the intense emotion in her eyes. I looked over my shoulder at Emmett to make sure he knew Bella had returned and give him the signal to close. He must have already seen her, though, because he had a shit eating grin on his face and seemed to be mouthing dirty words.

After closing the song with a word of thanks, we left the stage and made our way to Bella. She must have gone home to change because she had a black dress on with large flowers embroidered along the deep v collar, and her hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders. She'd put something on her lips to make them shiny, and I wanted to suck it off of them.

Somewhere in my periphery I heard female voices approaching, but couldn't be bothered to take my eyes off Bella. Emmett seemed to be handling things and I heard him say, "Thanks, but I've already got a pretty girl who's offered to take me home with her."

Bella laughed. "Okay boys. Let's get out of here. You look like you need to relax," she said, giving me a pointed look, "and I think I'd like a private show."

I nearly jizzed in my pants.

The van was buzzing with electricity as we drove back to the inn. This time, only one threatening glare at Emmett had been enough to let him concede the prime spot. That made me suspicious. It wasn't like Emmett to play fair, and I decided to keep an extra eye on him for the rest of the evening.

When we arrived back at the inn, Bella took us to what I suspected to be her cottage, which was situated round the back and disguised behind a collection of overgrown trees. She led us inside and we followed her through a set of mahogany and stained-glass doors onto the patio. It was like stepping into another world. The length of the space was covered by a weathered but sturdy wooden pergola interwoven with night-blooming jasmine. There were several seats with plush cushions situated around a pedestal fire bowl and it looked liked a picture out of an architectural design magazine. The inn was situated up a small hill and you could see all the way into the city from where we were standing. The night was perfectly still except for the occasional chirp of a cricket or rustling of leaves in the cool night air.

Between the post-performance high and the peaceful atmosphere, I felt a calm wrap around me and I started to relax for the first time since this crazy trip had started. Emmett must have been feeling it too because when I glanced at him, his eyes were glazed over and he was wearing the satisfied smile only seen after an evening spent smoking with the hippies down the hall at our dorm and consuming an entire pizza. He was content.

Bella walked over a table next to a huge chaise lounge and proceeded to pour three glasses from a tall blue bottle. Picking up two of them, she turned to Emmett and I and quirked an eyebrow.

"Tequila?" she asked, although it sounded as much like a challenge as it did a question. If she had been offering me paint thinner I'd have said yes, and Emmett was already a step ahead of me.

He took the glass from her hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear. The only part I heard was "body shots" followed by the melodic sound of her laughter. She put her hand on his chest and smiled up at him.

"This is not that Cuervo poison that you have to choke down. Good men went blind and mad generations ago perfecting this recipe. Do not dishonor them by tainting it with salt and lime." She turned to me and our eyes locked as she passed me the glass and said, "Sip it. Let it glide past your lips and rest on your tongue before you take it into your body. Some things are meant to be savored."

We sipped our drinks, toasting the successful show and Bella's hospitality to which she replied, "Mi casa es su casa. I want you to feel at home."

I noticed a slight change in her demeanor. It was like she finally started to relax round us. Her presence was so much more tangible and her eyes were noticeably less guarded.

"In that case, I think I should take a shower."

"Yes, dude. That may be the best idea you've had since our fateful trip began," I said, hoping to get Bella alone for a moment.

"I'll walk with you," Bella said, following him back out the way we came, "I want to check in with Angela and makes sure that everything is taken care of for the night. I'll be right back."

My heart sank as I watched Bella leave. I had hoped that this would be the opportunity I needed to finally spend some more one-on-one time with her, and maybe to decipher which one of us she preferred… If she even preferred either of us.

The night had grown cool, and so I distracted myself with lighting a small fire and refilling my empty glass. It didn't take long for the tequila to start to burn through my system, augmenting the calm I'd been feeling with an undercurrent of creative energy. Bella wasn't kidding – the liquid was potent. Looking around, I noticed an acoustic guitar on a stand next to one of the lounge chairs and I picked it up, my fingers moving unconsciously to test it's tuning before strumming a few chords. I began working out a melody that had started playing in my head when Bella and I had been alone among the vines this morning.

So engrossed in the music, I didn't notice when she returned until I felt the lounge dip slightly when she sat on the other side.

I looked up to see her face lit in profile by the firelight, and her beauty stunned me. Between the co-eds on campus and the frenzied, albeit small, crowds when we played shows, I'd become relatively numb to pretty girls. Though I appreciated their soft curves, they held no mystery for me, and never really got me. They would bob their heads along to the music and wait by the side of the stage for Emmett and me as if they were choosing their flavor of ice-cream. Would it be mocha or vanilla? They just wanted to sleep with a musician so they could tell their friends, and hope we made a big name for ourselves so they could say they knew us back when.

Bella was different. I'd watched her while we were playing, her entire body moving, her eyes closed, feeling the music. She knew the emotions we were singing about, had felt them, I'm sure. Her passion was born from experiencing love and pain and intensity. I wanted to touch her as if I could obtain that passion by osmosis.

"Don't stop," she said, and it took me a moment to realize that my hands had stilled while I took her in. Her breathing was rapid and shallow.

I could see desire in her eyes, but also saw a cloud of sadness creeping in. I didn't know what tremendous hurt she carried under the surface, but I wasn't going to give it a chance to set in again.

"I don't want to play anymore," I said, and hoped she understood how many ways I meant it. I set the guitar down and turned to face her. I wasn't going to miss another opportunity to kiss this woman. She'd been in control from the moment she'd let us into her van, but I wasn't going to wait for an invitation anymore. I would face whatever rejection came if it meant I'd gotten to fucking touch her like I'd been aching to. I slid my hands into the hair at the base of her neck, forcing her to look at me.

A part of me was expecting her to resist, but her eyes closed with a sigh and she leaned into me in one fluid motion. I felt as if my whole world had stilled around me, and the only point that still existed in it, was where my lips met Bella's. It was as if one of those super-slow motion cameras had been pointed directly at us. Time and space were irrelevant. All that mattered was the sensation of my tongue sinking into Bella's mouth and the rich, smooth taste of her. She gripped my back, digging her fingers in desperately, her body pressing against mine urgently. The sound of our labored gasps seemed to reverberate in the night air. We were lost in the now.

I lowered her down to the lounge, letting my hands explore her maddening curves from the column of her neck to the curve of her breast. I gripped the swell of her ass, thrilled at the roundness I found there. I was surprised by my own languid movements when my heart and mind were both racing frantically beneath. Touching her, _feeling_ her, was so far beyond what I thought I was able to handle.

_This girl might very well be the death of me._ _Death by spontaneous combustion._

My perma-boner was threatening to poke a hole through the front of my jeans as I slipped my hand beneath the hem of her dress and let it drift up the silky skin of her thigh, fighting the urge to just rip her dress apart.

I suddenly got the distinct feeling that we were being watched. I reluctantly broke free from Bella and lifted my head to see Emmett standing awkwardly in the door.

_Fuck._

I tried to gauge Emmett's reaction, but didn't know what to make of his mouth, which was hanging slightly open, and his furrowed brow.

Mere moments before, I undeniably would have been able to walk away from Bella for the sake of my friendship with Emmett. That certainty had flown swiftly out the window the moment my lips had touched hers. I couldn't let her go. I needed more.

My heart started to plummet as Bella sat upright, straightening her dress. Knowing our moment had (not quite) come and gone, I almost wished that I hadn't kissed Bella, because knowing was almost more painful than not knowing.

"Hey." Bella beckoned toward Emmett to sit next to her. Her voice was husky and infinitely sexier than it had been before, if that were even rationally possible.

Emmett approached hesitantly, clearly not knowing what to make of the situation. He had barely sat down beside her before she grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt and dragged his lips toward hers.

I didn't know if it was the alcohol or just the utter shock and surprise, but my stomach lurched violently at the sight of Bella kissing Emmett. Feeling played and abandoned, I was about to get up and storm out of this fucked up situation when Bella released Emmett and turned toward me, kissing me even deeper and with even more purpose and passion before. Any and all thoughts of leaving dissolved as her hand found my crotch and gave my dick a suggestive squeeze.

In that moment I knew I would give Bella anything she asked of me. Her control and apparent confidence was exhilarating. I was lost to her and ached to fulfill her desires regardless of consequence.

And she didn't wait very long to test my theory. She pulled away from me and brought one hand to my cheek and her other hand to Emmett's cheek. Her nudge was enough to confirm to me what she wanted. Whether it was what I wanted was something different entirely. The fact that I was even remotely considering macking on my best friend told me that there were either a lot of things I didn't know about myself, or that I had consumed _way_ too much tequila. Either way, I couldn't seem to take my eyes off Emmett's lips. I was surprised to realize that the thought of having his mouth on mine wasn't entirely revolting.

Bella removed her hands from our cheeks and lowered them until they were resting on our respective erections. I was excruciatingly sensitive, even through the rigid material of my jeans. My eyes rolled back in my head at her touch and I groaned, enjoying the friction.

Moving closer to Emmett wasn't really a conscious decision; it just seemed to happen. Our lips met hesitantly at first, experimentally. The tequila had skewed my sense of time, but I suspected we had remained stationary for far too long, our lips just touching. The surprises continued as Emmett was the first to break our awkward pause, pulling away slightly and kissing me again, this time with meaning. I found myself responding, moving my lips against his; focusing on how unexpectedly soft they were instead of the light brush of his stubble against my chin.

The next moment, he grunted and grabbed me roughly at the back of my neck, pushing his tongue into my mouth. He tasted like tequila and the secret smoke I had seen him slip out to have before our gig. It wasn't a bad combination, actually. For an occasionally Neanderthal-ish rock-loving jock boy, he really was an incredible kisser.

Bella moaned in approval beside us and pushed us apart lightly, leaning in to kiss each of us again, a sort of controlled desperation apparent in the way she tugged at my hair.

She stood up, reaching her hands down, grasping the hem of her dress and lifting it up and over her head in one smooth motion, before dropping it by her side. The thought that she had been completely naked beneath her dress all night almost caused me to lose it right there. Her body was the single most sensual sight I had ever had the pleasure of beholding. The moonlight cast a faint glow over the molten honey that was her skin. Her breasts were full and natural. My fingers ached to touch them. Her tiny middle curved to shape her perfectly womanly hips, which rounded into thighs that I longed to have wrapped around my neck. I was unabashedly letting my eyes take in every inch of her erotic form. I couldn't help myself; the small, dark triangle between her legs was calling to me.

She cleared her throat, dragging both me and Emmett from our lustful stupor. She put her hands on her hips and quirked a challenging eyebrow at us. I realized that she was waiting for us to follow her lead. I didn't need to be invited twice. I didn't bother unbuttoning my shirt, instead opting for pulling it directly over my head. After a minute of eager stumbling, Emmett and I were both naked and painfully erect, awaiting Bella's next request.

"Come with me," she said with a satisfied smile as she eyed our anxious dicks. She started to back up toward a set of French doors on the other side of the patio, and when she reached the doors, she turned around and walked through, leaving them open behind her.

This was an invitation, but neither of us was invited singularly. I looked over at Emmett and was grateful for all the years we had built a level of silent communication because there were no words for this. Only action. We nearly knocked each other over getting to the door.

The room was dim; Bella had a few candles burning and was standing by the window looking out into the night sky. I came up behind her and ran my hand along her ribs up to the space between her breasts and used the leverage to pull her naked back against my chest. I could feel her heart beating fast and furiously against my palm. I brushed her hair aside to run my tongue from the back of her neck to her shoulder.

"You're so beautiful," I whispered into her skin.

She reached her hand up, holding me to her. I felt a new wave of body heat from in front of me and realized that Emmett had taken position in front of Bella and bent down to kiss her softly, his hands resting lightly on her bare hips. Beyond the haze induced by the vast amount of alcohol we had consumed, something in me recognized the simple fact that being naked and in a very sexual situation with my best friend should have been weirding me out. But something, perhaps knowing that this was what Bella wanted, was dragging me down into the heat of the moment, making me want it too.

I had to touch her and was desperate to feel her come undone at my hands. Apparently, Emmett was of the same mind because our fingers grazed each other as we reached the Promised Land at the same time. We acted in tandem, as if playing a song, working to bring her to ecstasy. I slid my fingers past her soft curls, circling her clit, thrilled by how wet she was. Emmett's hand reached lower, and when she moaned into his mouth, I knew he was inside her. I held her to me tightly as her legs threatened to give out.

Bella put a gentle pressure on my head, guiding me forward as she released her hold on Emmett's lips. He straightened to his full height, and suddenly, only a breath of air was between us. Bella looked up, lust and longing plain on her face. When I saw her big brown eyes move between our faces, I knew exactly what she wanted. I silently vowed to give her everything.

"Por favor?" she whispered.

This time there was no hesitation as my lips met Emmett's, both swollen from the epic make-out session we'd been engaged in since this began on the patio. Our kissing was intense but sloppy, both of our attention split between each other and the woman pressed between us. I stopped wondering whether I was kissing Emmett to please Bella or to please myself and just let go. Closing my eyes, I surrendered to the feelings of passion and completion from having her in my arms and the comfort and heat of his lips and tongue.

Bella started to stiffen, her body growing rigid and her moans growing louder. Her hand gripped my hair painfully and her body shook just before releasing to collapse forward onto Emmett's chest, breaking our connection. He held her up, and her arms wrapped around him as she buried her face in his shoulder. I ran my hands over her caramel skin along her back, shoulders, and the swell of her hips, soothing her as she came down slowly.

After a moment to catch her breath, she looked back at me over her shoulder, peeking from behind her curtain of hair and gave me a beaming smile.

I heard Emmett groan and saw that one of Bella's hands had disappeared, and was, presumably, wrapped around his dick again, stroking him.

"Sit down," she said to me, and motioned toward the bed.

I moved to follow her instruction until the back of my knees hit the bed, while my best friend and the object of my desire intertwined and filled my vision. Over the years, I'd seen Emmett kiss girls occasionally, but I'd never seen him so consumed by a woman. He touched her with such passion and tenderness, his pale skin almost luminescent in the dim light as he ran his hands along her body. She moved with a subtle grace and confidence, her rhythm sure and steady. She pulled his mouth to hers and they kissed deeply. I thought I should feel jealous, but was far too turned on to allow any competing emotions in. I was held in awe of their intensity, which unquestionably transcended any notions of age or culture - just two bodies fused together in passion. It was fucking beautiful. I didn't want to sever their connection, but longed to be a part of it.

Bella pulled away from his mouth, and I swear to God I heard him whimper. She led him, literally, by his dick, over to me on the bed. Reaching out with her free hand, she picked up a small packet from the bedside table and tucked it into my palm as her lips caught mine and started teasing me with her tongue. Her actions were as good as a command, and I opened the condom and put it on quickly.

She climbed onto the bed facing Emmett who continued placing kisses on her neck as she looked back over her shoulder and pressed a hand on my chest, encouraging me to lay back. She stood on her knees, poised above me and straddling my hips. Her ass was the perfect inverted heart and I couldn't help but to reach out and hold onto it with both hands as she slid down onto me with aching slowness. Her warmth enveloped me inch by inch, and I couldn't look away from the glorious sight. I gasped when I was finally fully inside her and held her still while I tried to keep myself from being a woeful disappointment.

My legs were bent at the knees off the edge of the bed, and Emmett had stepped between them and cradled Bella's head in his hands. While she waited for me to acclimate to the sensation of heaven, which was being inside her, she was taking care of him, and I couldn't tell if the deep moans I heard were his or mine. Probably both. He was kissing her deeply, sucking on her lips, his hands on her breasts, and the sight had me throbbing frantically inside of her. I couldn't wait another second and had to move.

I started to thrust up into her, and Bella's moans joined the chorus Emmett and I had created. He slipped from my field of vision and I felt hot hands on my thighs; the tight grip he used to steady his stance augmenting the sensations which threatened to overwhelm me. I felt Bella grow impossibly tighter around me, her moans changing in tone. I leaned up on my elbows and saw the top of Emmett's head buried at the apex of her thighs and felt his hot breath where we were joined. I watched, transfixed and completely turned on by the sights and sounds. Bella had taken control, sliding up and down; her pace became erratic, and occasionally Emmett's tongue would miss and slide along my length. I thought to make a joke about his aim, but didn't want to risk having him stop. He was obviously making Bella feel good, and I wasn't afraid to admit, it felt fucking incredible for me too.

Bella leaned back against my chest, her movements slowing as her gaze followed mine. One of her hands brushed tenderly against Emmett's cheek, and his eyes lifted. I had expected to feel awkward with his mouth so close to my dick - expected him to feel awkward, at least. I was never more relieved to see those fucking dimples as he looked up at us and grinned, obviously proud of the effect he was having. Somehow the sight of Emmett just being...Emmett allowed a tension I didn't even know I was feeling to slip away.

At the sight of his smile, Bella laughed, creating the most amazing sensation on my dick, and I thrust into her reflexively, turning her laughter into a deep moan of pleasure. Emmett turned his full attention to her once again and soon I could feel her orgasm starting to build. I lost all knowledge of anything outside the feel of Bella, her hair sweeping across my chest between her hands as she met me thrust for thrust. I was desperate to make this last long enough to feel her come again. When I thought I couldn't hold on a second more, I felt the heat and pressure of a hand at the base of my length, squeezing. Immediately, I felt her start to spasm around me and the combination of sensations became too much. I came like I was falling off a cliff with her, nearly screaming in my release.

I lay there panting for an immeasurable moment trying to recover, one hand curled around Bella's waist, the other on the small of her back. I felt her slip from my grip and a tug on my all too sensitive dick as she removed the evidence of my release. Her weight lifted from the bed and I waited a moment before I cracked one eye to see whether the world still existed. Bella was coming back from the bathroom and Emmett stood at the edge of the bed, a look of pride and satisfaction on his face despite his painful looking erection. I had often envied his ability to be comfortable in any situation, but tonight I felt only gratitude. He'd made this so easy, when it all could've gone so horribly wrong.

Bella stood beside Emmett, her light ochre skin contrasting beautifully with his pale glow in the moonlight. She placed a light hand on his muscular shoulder, and glanced between me and Emmett, a sly smile creeping over her face. The twinkle in her eye told me everything I needed to know.

She wasn't done with either of us just quite yet.


	2. Emmett and Jake: The Aftermath

**A/N: **This is a tiny little outtake that I wrote for my gorgeous and talented co-author **Chele681** on her birthday. If you like it, you should head on over to her profile and read her story, **Hard as a Rock**, which is a prequel to this one and a fantastic read.

**I don't own anything. Stephenie Meyer is the Queen of Twi. These boys aren't entirely mine either. Chele owns a great deal of their awesome.

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**Emmett and Jake: The Aftermath

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"Emm." Jake's voice startled me out of my focused non-concentration. I considered myself lucky that I had gotten a good look at Mexico on the trip down, or I might have felt guilty for letting the landscape pass me blindly by on the way home.

"Mmm," I hummed in response, my thoughts still not entirely present.

"Listen." Jake sounded hesitant and serious - both of which made tiny little alarm bells go off in my head. "I know I'm probably breaking some unwritten dude-code by talking about this, but I figure we've already broken some unwritten dude-code this week."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. _Oh. That. Like I could forget._

"Have you ever..." Jake trailed off, leaving me to fill in the big awkward blank.

"Participated in a threeway with my best friend and a gorgeous Latina? No." I decided being blunt was the way to go here.

Jake didn't take his eyes off the road but I knew he was glaring. I never failed to take pleasure in torturing him, even if it was somewhat at my own expense.

"Thanks for clearing that up, dipshit, but I wasn't exactly referring to that."

"Dude, just because we had group sex doesn't mean I can read your mind now. Spit it out."

A short pause. "That's what he said," we announced in unison and started laughing and grunting like the frat boys we were.

The tension seemed to be broken, so Jake pushed forward. "A guy. Have you ever been with a guy before?"

I felt a familiar lump rise in my throat at the thought of _him_. I wondered what would happen to that lump if I ever spoke of him aloud. "Yup," I whispered, leaning my head back against the seat and letting the warm spring air tickle my face as it rushed in the car.

Jake didn't probe any further. I knew he wasn't judging, and I knew our friendship remained intact, but somehow, having him know that tiny detail, made the lump seem easier to deal with.

After a mile or two of listening to the sound of the of the Mexican breeze rattle the wheelcaps on Thumper, and seeing messy blonde hair and pouty lips prance around in my mind, I managed to say the name that I hadn't spoken aloud in two years.

"Jasper. His name was Jasper."


End file.
